Dog Days of Summer

It has been hot!!  Yes, it's summer in the midwest and we're used to the heat/humidity that comes with the season; but now it's abnormally hot ~105F - too hot.  What is your favorite drink  on a hot summer day?

In July, 2005 we were in Kansas City when the temperature reached 108F.  We walked into a brewpub for a drink.  When our waitress arrived at the table we talked about the heat and the need for a refreshing drink.  Which of their beers would she recommend for a summer scorcher?  She says that she has just the thing and will be right back.  She returned with two frosty mugs of (can't remember what she called it) beer mixed 50/50 with lemonade.  We politely said thanks and looked at each other with perplexed/quizzical yet polite expressions.  And lo' and behold it worked.  We both liked the drink for a summer scorcher.  It was not too sweet, not overly tart, still had the taste of beer and quenched our thirst. 

Since then we've made them several times when we're outdoors and the temperatures approach those of the sun.

Caveman Ribs You Can Be Proud Of

Cooking pork ribs is not something I do very well.  No matter what I've tried over the years they're just not as tender or tasty as ribs from a restaurant.  Doesn't seem to matter if they're babyback or spare ribs, dry rub versus mop, or sauce/no-sauce.  They've turned out dry and chewy, tough and sometimes burnt and charred on the outside.  The closest I've come to edible ribs are ones that I braised in the oven for two hours and then finished for ~10 minutes on the grill.  Yes, they were good but because I cooked them in the oven I just couldn't feel good about them.  A good friend of mine says that his best result comes from simmering his in apple juice and like me he feels like he cheated to get the end product.  Hells bells, we're men; we cook with fire; and ribs (the most primal of cuts) are not made to be cooked in a kitchen.  They're just not!

After 25 years of effort to fulfill my quest, and giving up several times along the way, I finally cooked ribs over smoldering wood and charcoal that rivaled ribs from a restaurant.  Yeehaw!!

A few things made this possible....

• the Primo Grill held the temperature steady and allowed me to smoke the ribs over indirect heat for just over four hours at ~230F
• Alton Brown and the Food Network.  This recipe worked very well.  I will adjust the dry rub for our palate next time around.  His tips on knowing when the ribs were done were most helpful.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/barbecue-st-louis-pork-ribs-recipe2/index.html

As much as enjoyed the ribs we also smoked a couple of pounds of chicken drumsticks at the same time.  Tossed them in a dry rub of paprika, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and then 225F for 90 minutes (turned them half way through) and then into a roasting pan with smoky, spicy barbecue sauce.  Tracy and Josh enjoyed the drumsticks as much as the ribs.

Mistakes of a Primo Rookie

We purchased a Primo Grill for our outdoor kitchen area.  The promise of a wood-fired oven as well as a smoker for low and slow cooking of prime cuts of meat was just too enticing.  We chose the Primo over its more popular rival (The Big Green Egg) for a couple of reasons..

• The oval shape and cooking surface
• We like the dealer on the Illinois side of the Quad Cities - Corn Crib Nursery

For those not familiar, the Primo is a kamodo-style ceramic cooker.  It weighs ~200 pounds empty and burns lump charcoal - not briquets.  I was pleased when they offered to deliver the grill at no additional charge.

A few claims on the Primo Grills are worth noting...

• heats up in ~10 minutes
• Lighter fluid is not needed
• Holds temperature very steady
• Can reach temperatures of 550F or hotter
• Ideal for cooking low and slow - 225F

So how did it do against these claims?

Well the first night was as close to a cooking disaster as I've had in awhile.  I followed the instructions closely and I could not get the temperature above 350 even after an hour.  It was frustrating.  I had the vent holes fully open on the top and the bottom vent fully open and yet the temperature would not increase and certainly not in the 10 minutes that was claimed.  After about 90 minutes I got the temp to ~350 and said the heck with it and cooked the pizzas anyway.  Not bad pizza but the Primo Grill was a disappointment.  More research was needed.

Day #2 - much better results after I discovered my mistake.  The Primo Grill is great; the instruction manual is terrible and could be greatly improved for a much better user experience.
The issue was that the entire top vent can open; not just the vent holes.  Once I figured that out two things happened

• The grill came up to temperature, and
• It did it in ~10 minutes.  Problem solved.

Now for the next test, how would the Primo cooker do for the ultimate test of low and slow cooking of pork spare ribs?

It passed with flying colors.

Evolution of an Idea

I have a lot of ideas.  Mainly because my brain is constantly in motion while I multi-task with computer, iPad, television, radio, books and magazines.  Some of the ideas find their way into my journal but most are never put into action.  I’m still looking for that one big idea.  In any case, this is the story of one of my ideas becoming a reality; thanks in large part to my talented and lovely wife – Tracy.

Sometime in April I had the idea that I could build a wood-fired, brick oven in my backyard for authentic pizzas and artisanal breads.  The thought of real, wood-fired pizzas with a thin, crispy crust while not leaving the comfort of my home made me salivate.  This was the ticket.  I promptly turned to the internet and learned from others who built their own backyard ovens.  What did I learn?

·         I didn’t have the skills

·         I didn’t have a good location for the oven, and

·         It was a bit beyond my intended budget

No wood-fired pizza oven for me.

We continued to talk and discuss plans for a new gas grill and improvements to our deck off the rear of the house.  How about an outdoor kitchen?  We could extend one area of the deck and then add some cabinets, countertops and grill with a small table/bar area for entertaining.  Tracy agreed that this had promise.  We even sketched out our idea on the plane.  It was taking shape.

Somewhere in this process I learned of a kamodo-style ceramic oven; aka The Big Green Egg.  Hmmm, with one of these I could smoke meats low and slow for hours and use it as a wood-fired oven as well?

Once we returned home we continued to sketch and like most engineers, we drew up plans and then changed and changed some more.  The deck extension would not work.   I wanted it under roof to extend the season; the roof turned out to be impractical.  We wanted to build it from stone or brick; turned out to be very expensive plus our deck could not handle the extra weight.  In the end we are very pleased with the project.  This gives you an idea on how the finished project came together….

 A couple of key decisions we made can be seen in these two photos.

• Novik vinyl siding to simulate the look of stone.
• Wrought iron table top (wished we had went 54" diamter instead of 48")
• Umbrella and canopy instead of a structured roof
• Countertop of 12" x 12" granite tiles

Thanks Food Network!!

I was on the road this week and while the food was good, I can honestly say that nothing was really outstanding or memorable.  It was more about good company with colleagues and friends from work.  The best meal I had all week was the one that we cooked last Sunday.  It was simple.  It was quick. It was delicious.  And it would not have been possible without FoodNetwork.

In 1997 we subscribed to DishTV and were introduced to the FoodNetwork.  In those days it was almost all Emeril although on Saturday evening we laughed at Iron Chef dubbed in English.  Over the years we've watched it grow and evolve with a number of celebrity-chefs - Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Giada, Rachael Ray and Michael Chiarello. 

My cooking has evolved along with FoodNetwork.  I've learned that my dishes don't have to be complicated nor take all day to prepare to be delicious and satiisfying.  The recipes I've learned have been good but it's really been the techniques and methods that have had the biggest impact on my kitchen game.

Our dinner last Sunday would not have been possible without what I've learned from my favorite celebrity chefs.

The menu....

Sirloin steak rubbed with olive oil and Montreal steak seasoning
Grilled red onion and portobello mushrooms
Grilled asparagus
Garden fresh salad

Nothing fancy or noteworthy except for a few simple items.

1. After grilling the steak I let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.  Sounds easy and it is; but what a difference it makes.
2. Grilled mushrooms and vegetables while steak rested.  Kept it simple and just brushed with olive oil with a light sprinkling of kosher salt.  Grilled over high heat.
3. The salad was fresh from our garden and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

It was the best meal I had all week and took ~20 minutes start to finish.

Thanks Food Network!

A Quick and Elegant Breakfast

We enjoy a nice breakfast at home on the weekeend.  We always have enjoyed cooking eggs, bacon, bisuits, pancakes and the rest of the breakfast staples from the midwest US.  Our children looked forward to Dad's breakfast on the weekends.  It was a tradition around the house.

Well now it's just me and Tracy; and we want the nice breakfast but without quite as many calories.

This recipe works very well and has quickly become one of our favorites.

Two split/toasted English muffins
1 Frozen, 10 oz package of Creamed Spinach - cooked
3 slices of crisp, pan fried bacon
Four perfectly poached eggs

Top the English muffin halves with the creamed spinach.  Top each half with a poached egg and then garnish with crumbled bacon. 

Last count had this one below 400 calories for a hearty breakfast in ~20 minutes.

The Irish Car Bomb - A brief personal history

First, my apologies to any politically-correct Irishman that may be offended; but given my Irish ancestry and the fact that Irish and politically-correct are rarely used in the same sentence I should be free to discuss this delicious concoction.

I was first introduced to the Car Bomb at a friend's 30th birthday party in 2004.  He was the second oldest in attendance while I was well into my fourth decade.  The young, hard-drinking crowd insisted that I had to drink an Irish Car Bomb.  Given the name and the crowd I was a tad anxious.  My anxiety only increased when I watched them prepare the car bombs.  For those that are not familiar an Irish car bomb looks like this....

1/2 pint Guinness Stout
1/2 shot Irish Whiskey
1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

Drop the shot glass into the 1/2 pint of Guinness and then down the hatch - pure, logic-defying deliciousness.  I had one more that night.

Interestingly enough, they did not know what a car bomb was in Ireland.  I may have even offended the bar tender for asking.

I have had a few more over the years but it's been a good three or four years since my last until two weeks ago when I was given an Irish Car Bomb Cupcake.  Kudos to Kat Nelson for baking them for her Dad's (Bill Nelson of Rock Island) birthday. 

Guinness chocolate cupcakes
Filled with Irish Whiskey Ganache
and topped with
Bailey's Irish Cream Buttercream Frosting

Yeehaw!!

Thanks Kat.